Recalled but still benched! Yang Hansen did not play; Avdija scored 35 points plus a game-winner as the Trail Blazers beat the Kings in overtime

On December 19th Beijing time, during the NBA regular season, the Trail Blazers played at home against the Kings. Despite being recalled by the team, Yang Hansen stayed on the bench the entire game without entering. The game was tightly contested for three quarters. In the last quarter, the Trail Blazers surged ahead, but the Kings mounted a strong rally, pushing the game into overtime. In overtime, Avdija hit the decisive free throw, securing a 134-133 victory for the Trail Blazers.

Statistical summary:

Kings: Westbrook with 20 points and 10 assists, DeRozan 33 points, Reaves 29 points and 11 rebounds, Murray 17 points, Ellis 10 points

Trail Blazers: Avdija scored 35 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, Sharpe 26 points, Klingen 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, Grant 20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, Kamara 17 points, 8 rebounds

Game progression:

At the start of the first quarter, Klingen opened with a dunk, but Reaves quickly responded with a floater. Both teams immediately engaged in a tug-of-war, with scores alternating. Both sides shot well, and the point difference hovered around one. In the latter half of the quarter, the Kings took the initiative with an 8-2 run to take the lead. Just as the Trail Blazers stopped the bleeding, the Kings scored another 4 points. On the final possession, Avdija hit a mid-range jumper. At the end of the first quarter, the Kings led the Trail Blazers 40-36 by 4 points.

In the second quarter, Schroder scored first to extend the lead. After a long scoring drought, Schroder added 2 more points, pushing the gap to 8. Grant hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, then Schroder drew a foul and made both free throws to keep scoring. The Trail Blazers woke up and went on a 7-2 run, cutting the deficit to just 2 points. The teams then went back into a close battle, tied at 52. The Kings scored 4 straight points trying to pull away again, but the Trail Blazers answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead. The Kings responded with 4 points, and after Klingen's putback, both teams went scoreless for a while. At halftime, the Trail Blazers led the Kings 63-60 by 3 points.

In the third quarter, the Kings quickly tied the score at the start. The teams remained tightly contested with alternating leads. Mid-quarter, the Trail Blazers went on a 9-3 run to lead by 3, but the Kings scored 4 straight to retake the lead. Then both sides experienced a long scoring drought. In the last three minutes, both teams exchanged points but the game stayed very close. After three quarters, the Kings led the Trail Blazers 83-82 by 1 point.

In the final quarter, the momentum shifted dramatically as the Trail Blazers unleashed a 12-2 run to take a 9-point lead. Murray finally stopped the bleeding with a mid-range shot, but the Trail Blazers scored 3 more points, pushing the margin into double digits. Westbrook committed a costly flagrant foul, and the Trail Blazers capitalized with an 8-0 run to nearly build a 20-point lead. Kamara also received a flagrant foul and was ejected. Then the Kings mounted a furious comeback with an 18-2 run, cutting the lead to just 1 point. In the last 15 seconds, both teams used fouling strategies to battle through free throws. In the final moments, DeRozan hit a crucial three-pointer to tie the game, sending it to overtime.

In the first overtime, the Trail Blazers started with a 5-0 run. DeRozan drew a foul and made both free throws, Avdija scored on a strong drive, and DeRozan added two more points. Murray answered with a 2+1 play, giving the Trail Blazers a 6-point lead. DeRozan also converted a 2+1, but Grant responded with a powerful dunk. DeRozan then drew another foul and scored again, with Grant answering strongly. DeRozan hit a clutch three-pointer to keep his team alive, followed by two free throws. The Kings mirrored their late fourth-quarter effort. At a critical moment, Klingen missed two free throws, DeRozan made a mid-range jumper to take the lead, and Avdija missed a floater. Ultimately, the Trail Blazers won 134-133 over the Kings with a last-second shot.

Starting lineups:

Kings: Achiuwa, Murray, Reaves, DeRozan, Westbrook

Trail Blazers: Grant, Kamara, Klingen, Avdija, Sharpe